(CNN) – The New York Daily News and Long Island's Newsday endorsed Republican nominee Mitt Romney for president, switching from their 2008 pick of then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

In an article published in the newspaper's opinion section Sunday, the Daily News' editorial board dissected the nation's economic hardships down to the dollars and cents of an increasingly expensive subway ride to a $3.90 average for a gallon of gasoline.

"Paychecks are shrunken after more than a decade in which the workplace has asked more of wage earners and rewarded them less," wrote the Daily News. "The decline has knocked someone at the midpoint of the salary scale back to where he or she would have been in 1996."

In the last presidential election, the Daily News threw their support behind a "historical figure whose intelligence, political skills and empathy with common folk positioned him to build on the small practical experience he would bring to the world's toughest job."

But the hope with that came with Obama's candidacy in 2008 went "unfulfilled," wrote the Daily News, ticking off what the paper deems as failed accomplishments; the 2009 stimulus plans, Obama's signature health care initiative, a growing national debt and failed attempt to reach a fiscal deal with Congress.

Newsday agreed writing, "Had Barack Obama done the job of president with the same passion and vision he displayed in seeking it, he would likely deserve another term. He did not."

"Obama's failure to accelerate the improvement of the economy is the dominant reason Romney is the right choice, but it's not the only one," wrote the Long Island paper's editorial board, also pointing to a rising national debt and Obama's failure to break the partisan divide in Washington, to name a few.

Newsday wrote that its "decision to endorse Romney is not an easy one," noting the devastating aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and Romney's plan to shift relief efforts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to states "is a great risk" as well as a number of "distinct achievements" under the Obama administration including the bailout of the auto industry.

Still, while both papers agree the Republican candidate not perfect, Newsday cites "Romney's potential to put America back to work" as reason for their support, and the editorial board at the Daily News wrote it is "compelled to stand with Romney" in this crucial economic time.

soundoff(97 Responses)

Anthony

The only things Romney's tax cuts guarantee are bigger bank accounts for people like Romney, and bigger deficits for the government. It does not guarantee job creation. After rich people get their tax cuts, they can just keep the money, or stash the money away in overseas tax havens. We will not know about it, because rich people won't release their tax returns. Even if they run for the White House. You know, just like Mitt Romney.

November 4, 2012 05:48 pm at 5:48 pm |

Martha in CF

They are fools to think that Romney would do this country any good.....

Obama/Biden 2012

November 4, 2012 05:56 pm at 5:56 pm |

jmon

My, the bias in these comments borders on MSNBC loons. I am Independent as well, voted Obama in 08. I happen to agree: "But the hope with that came with Obama's candidacy in 2008 went "unfulfilled,"
He has had 4 years to turn things around, his plan stinks! over 100 rounds of golf, not meeting with his jobs council in 9 months, his own appointed energy secretary stating he's OK with gas prices above $5.00, what the heck. He needs to go.

November 4, 2012 06:18 pm at 6:18 pm |

Chris

Obama took over with the unemployment rate 7.8 in 2008. It is now 7.9 now. Our prez said that it would be 5.6% if the stimulis was passed by the end of his 1st term

November 4, 2012 06:26 pm at 6:26 pm |

Darin

I admire a newspaper that has the ability to see facts for what they are and are not in any parties pocket. Obama didnt deliver on promises, period. He is extrememly underqualified to handle the problems that face our country. Ignorant people that dont know they are ignorant are dangerous.

November 4, 2012 06:38 pm at 6:38 pm |

Ancient Texan

Most folks that voted for Obama that have the ability to be able to think, should switch to ROmney. 90% of Obama's promises were pure malarky and will never be fulfilled, not in four more years, or four more terms or four more lifetimes.

November 4, 2012 06:46 pm at 6:46 pm |

mike, Gardner, Ma.

Why is it that when endorsements that went overwhelmingly for Obama in 08' they knew what they were talking about. Now the same people who found out about the real Barak Obama and shifted their endorsements to Mitt Romney all of a sudden don't know what they are talking about. Let me assure you that they do. They are seeing Obama rip and slash at Mitt because he has no record to run on. We the people do NOT vote for REVENGE !! We do vote for what is best for the country ! The party of diversity and inclusion has become the party of hate, class warfare and lies. OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE !! for gods sake WAKE UP !

November 4, 2012 06:47 pm at 6:47 pm |

Ancient Texan

Sarah- Change the words Mitt Romney to Barack Obama and you are right on the money.

November 4, 2012 06:52 pm at 6:52 pm |

b

Romney must own stock in both papers.

November 4, 2012 07:07 pm at 7:07 pm |

Kevin

A shocking, mind boggling endorsement that makes absolutely no sense ... Newsday ... what are you doing? The Republican Party (in all their so-called infinite wisdom) destroyed the American economy and ruined the lives of millions. The Democratic Party stopped the Republican top down agenda and put back in place an prosperous path that supports meaningful & significant economic growth for everyone (including the very same people that put us in this mess in the first place). Hey, Newsday, it's obvious and very clear ... you sold out ... Shame on you! I'm canceling my subscription and my cable connection ... Just like I pulled my support from the NY Jets when Woody Johnson put politics above sport. Take that.

November 4, 2012 07:09 pm at 7:09 pm |

Mike

No matter what you Obama Koolaid drinkers think, or how you lie to yourselves, Obama is just useless. If he really cared about the LGBT community and helping illegal immigrants then he would have passed legislation to help them in his first 2 years when it would have been easy. He didn't because he doesn't care. You can do all the funny math you want but he came in with 7.8% and WILL leave with 7.9% unemployment and it NEVER went below 7.8% the whole time he was president. We have MORE people unemployed now then when Obama took office. By the way, the real uneployment rate is 14.6% when you include the people who have given up looking for a job – last time I checked they aren't collecting a paycheck either. Tons of houses have been foreclosed. Businesses have failed and continue to fail. Take your head out of your butt and drive around the neighborhoods – all you see is FOR SALE and FOR RENT! We are NOT in good shape and I am tired of the whining you Koolaid drinkers are doing – Obama is useless and I will be glad to see him go. Do I trust Romney? No, I trust NO politicians. Obama did NOT do the job of making us better off than we were 4 years ago – he has to go! More people are collecting food stamps and the country's debt has gone up tremendously in the last four years. Any of you who learned how to balance your check book know you need to have money in your account to write checks that don't bounce. So why does the government get to borrow 40 cents of every dollar we spend? Because Obama is useless and he has to go! My favorite aspect of Obama is his idea of "savings". He will free up $716 million in Medicare by cutting costs – that means paying doctors and hospitals less for the same service. He will free up billions and billions by ending the wars in the middle east early. I tried that approach with my wife. I told her I was going to save her $6,000 by only buying one used ATV instead of 3 used ATVs. Her response – you are costing me $3,000 for the one ATV and you can't save $6,000 we would have to borrow to spend. Obama math – you got to love it! He has to go! And let me save you Obama whiners some time because it's Bush's fault, Wall Street's fault, the banks' fault – everybody but Obama's fault. He has to go!

This endorsement is a travesty.romney has flipped flopped so many times during this campaign that you know you can't trust him long-term in the whitehouse. I feel sorry for those of us in the 47% if he wins and starts flipping again and he will.

November 4, 2012 07:16 pm at 7:16 pm |

Mike

BTW, my hat's off to the newspapers for finally showing some backbone and going with the truth and endorsing Romney.

Both the Newsday and the NY Daily News got it wrong. President Obama inherited an economy in shambles and they expected him to turn things around in 4 years. Where we're these newspapers when Bush wrecked this economy?
Mitt Romney doesn't offer nothing more than rhetoric. This guy has changed his position on so many occasions that no one can kept count. Mitt Romney continue to attempt to remake himself, but he will still lost on Tuesday.
As for the Newsday and the Daily News, I will stop purchasing them from this day forward.

November 4, 2012 07:22 pm at 7:22 pm |

Paula

What is wrong with you people? The paper is endorsing Romney because Obama has done a terrible job over the last 4 years. It is as simple as that. J-How dare you say people with that much money don't care about or understand the ordinary American. Do you know Mitt Romney didn't take a salary for turning around the Olympics? Or that he didn't collect a salary as Governor? He also doesn't want a salary as President. He wants to do this to improve our country. Linda-NO logical reason for a Romney endorsement??? He's an extremely successful businessman. Our President can't even pass a budget! The Democrats won't even approve his budget. We NEED Mitt Romney!

Holy cow! A 'newspaper' somewhere in America endorses Mittens? What's a newspaper BTW? Didn't I read in history class that we used to use those back in the stone age to relay news?

November 4, 2012 07:51 pm at 7:51 pm |

ROMNEY FOR PRESIDENT! BETTER CHOICE!

Our current administration doesn't care about you! Come on people! We are in worse shape than we were four years ago! How long can we blame Bush? Our president committed to three years under his plans to SEE a CHANGE. I have seen the cost of everything sky rocketing. Does Romney care about you? YES! He can continue making money and not give a rats tail about America but he genuinely cares about our financial future. We need someone who is business savvy to get rid of government breakdown not just someone charismatic with swag.

These papers must be blind to endorse a ghost like romney. Their rationels to these endorsements is not convincing at all. They are willing to endorse a person like romney for whom they can not convincingly say what he stands for to a man that saved us from the brink of collapse, saved GM and killed Osama bin laden . Unbelieveable. Unbelieveable. Something really fishy with these editoral guys. Thank God for technology. We do not hv to depend on these dumb opinions from these types anymore

I seriously challenge the rationale; not necessarily the choice. The suggested reasoning for a Romney endorsement seems to be based soley on speculation and belief or hope in idle rhetoric; and nothing to do with detailed policy.

Check out who owns the papers, wall street investment banks so there should be no surprise at all here. The papers all act like they made this decision, the owners told them where they get their paychecks from and Viola. The most important thing now is voting, drive a friend, drive your mom, drive your neighbour. VOTE!

November 4, 2012 09:21 pm at 9:21 pm |

M D

What immaturity I see in the many comments in support of Romney that are upheld by ignorance of our political system. We have a government that is a democracy, as opposed to a monarchy. The President is not responsible for all aspects of leadership in our country, nor is he responsible for structural problems that are deeper than those that can be formed or addressed in a few short years. Our economy is a complex system that took years to get to where it is at and takes years to recover. It is a sad commentary on the New York paper that it would show such ignorance of these basic facts.

I stand behind a position that sees President Obama as a leader of amazing integrity. This has been a great and historic time where our country has finally shown enough courage to place a person of thoughtful integrity in the White House. This has been and continues to be a wise decision. Now, its time for these same wise folks to take out those representatives and senators in our legislature who are inept due to their own racist attitudes that prevent them from behaving as responsible leaders. Their lack of cooperation with our President has been unacceptable, and they should be held accountable. Let's name the problem where it is, and take our eyes off the scapegoat. MD

November 4, 2012 09:42 pm at 9:42 pm |

K White

A flip and a flop two days before the election is not only suspect, it is foolish. The last sputtering of an industry that has gone the way of the Woolly Mammoth and has no influence what-so-ever. Who ever heard of these guys anyway outside of a small portion of the east coast...